PWD Car Rules

PWD Car Rules for All Divisions

Car Body

• The wood provided in the kit must be used. The block may be shaped any way that is desired

• Width between wheels — 1 3/4″

• Bottom clearance between car and track — 3/8″

• Height: Car cannot be more than 3 1/8 inches tall. (This restriction is due to the finish line height)

• No part of the car can extend past the starting pin

  • The front of the car cannot be designed to gain an unfair advantage by shortening the distance between the start pin and the finish line sensor and the car design cannot otherwise interfere with a fair start.

• The car shall not ride on springs

• Wheel bearings, washers and bushings are prohibited

Car Design

• Details such as the steering wheel, driver, decals, painting, and interior detail are permissible as long as these details do not exceed the maximum length, width, and weight specifications

General

• The car must have been built during the current year (the school year in which the Derby is held)

  • Only one car may be registered by any person in the Pinewood Derby

  • Cars that have competed in a previous Derby are not permitted

  • A completed car purchased from a third party is not allowed

• The car must be free-wheeling, with no starting devices

  • Cars must be powered by gravity only!

  • The use of mechanical or fuel powered starting or propulsion devices are not permitted

  • Rubber band engines, CO2 cylinders, magnet propulsion systems and rocket engines (liquid or solid) are a few examples of prohibited devices

• Only dry lubricant is permitted such as graphite or white Teflon

Inspection

• Each car must pass inspection, the owner will be informed of the reason for failure and will be given time within the official weigh-in time period to make necessary adjustments

• After final approval, cars will not be re-inspected unless the car is damaged in handling or in a race

• Impound:  After a car is registered and passes inspection, it will be impounded by the Race Officials until all races are completed.  No car may be altered after it has been placed into impound

Scouts and Dragons Division Specific Rules

Body

• Shall not weigh more than 5.000 oz. on the official pack PWD scale

• Attempts should be made to ensure all 4 wheels contact the racetrack. Purposefully raising a wheel so that only 3 wheels contact the racetrack is not permitted

Wheels and Axles

• The wheelbase (distance between the front and rear axles) may not be changed from the kit body distance of ~4-3/8 inches on center

  • The original axle slots should be used when possible

  • If the axle slots require truing (i.e. made parallel to each other or adjusted to 90 degrees; the original slot may be modified or new slots made as long as the meet the wheelbase distance length requirement

  • The front most and rear most wheels must be positioned across the body from one another.

  • Drilled holes shall not be used

• Only official Cub Scout Grand Prix Pinewood Derby wheels and axles are permitted

  • The wheels supplied with the kit or officially branded BSA replacement wheels (black or colored) must be used 

  • The diameter and width of the wheel shall not be altered

  • The wheels may not be cut, drilled, lathed, beveled or rounded. A light sanding to remove the seam from the wheels is permitted

  • The inner bore of the wheels may be polished, but not otherwise altered

  • Drilling holes in the wheels is not allowed

  • The complete inside and outside lettering of each wheel must be visible when the wheel is attached to the body

• The axles supplied with the kit must be used

  • The axles may be polished or lubricated (dry lubricant only)

  • The axles shall not be grooved

  • The use of single piece axels is not permitted

  • Axles should not be mounted at an angle greater than 10 degrees  

  • The axles shall not be deliberately bent in order to tip any of the wheel treads to an angle

Outlaw (Adult) Division

• Includes Siblings in 6th grade/ Age 12 and above

• Car Specifications:

  • As long it meets PWD Rules & Regulations for All Divisions, ANYTHING GOES!!

  • Refer to the Rules & Regulations

Raceday Rules 

1. The race is open to all Cub Scouts registered in this Pack. Siblings and friends may also enter in a seperate division.  Leaders and parents will make up the third division. 

2. Each scout/sibling may enter only one car in the competition. Several cars may be constructed but only one may be registered and raced. 

3. The car must have been built during the current year (the school year in which the Derby is held). Cars that have competed in a previous Derby are not permitted for the Scouts.

4. Competition will consist of a full track of cars for each race.  (We have a six lane track.)  The competition committee will determine how to race the cars in the fairest manner possible to determine the fastest cars.

5. If a car jumps the track, the race will be run again. If the same car jumps the track a second time, that car will automatically lose that race. 

• The car will be assigned a time of 10.0000 seconds for the heat - This rule is pending review of race software capabilities

6. If a car leaves its lane and interferes with another car, the race will be run again. If the same car leaves its lane a second time and interferes with another car, the interfering car will automatically lose that race.

• The car will be assign a time of 12.5000 seconds for the heat - This rule is pending review of race software capabilities

7. If a car becomes damaged and can be repaired in a reasonable amount of time (a few minutes), the race will be run again. If not, the damaged car will automatically lose that race.

8. Only race officials and scouts participating in the current race may enter the track area. This rule will be strictly enforced. Please help to keep the boys and siblings inside the marked areas. 

Registration General Information

1. Each car must pass a technical inspection before it may compete. Technical inspection and registration of cars occurs on Friday, January 24, 2025 at Grace Lutheran Church

 Note: The Race Starter will place the car on the track according to the location of the registration sticker which will be placed on the back of the car. Each registrant will be responsible for informing the judge of the back of the car.

2.  The Inspection Committee shall disqualify cars which do not meet these rules. If a car does not pass inspection, the owner will be informed of the reason his car did not pass (too long, too heavy, altered wheel base, or the like). Cars which fail the initial inspection may be modified for final inspection and registration. A fifteen minute grace period will be allotted for cars not passing inspection.

3.  To enter the race, cars must have passed inspection and be registered by the Final Inspection Deadline at 10:30 PM. 

4.  No cars may be altered in any way after it has been registered. Damage repair shall be allowed during the Derby only if it does not delay the race, but no modifications shall be allowed.

5. After passing inspection, no car shall be re-inspected unless repaired after damage in handling or in a race.

6. After the registrant has passed inspection, their picture (with or without car, their choice) will taken and they will be given a "PWD Driver's License". Please allow a few minutes after the final inspection to receive the license as multiple will need printed to avoid wasted paper.

7.  Ungentlemanly or unsportsmanlike conduct by any participant or spectator will be grounds for expulsion from the competition and/or the race area.

Rewards & Recognition

1. The most important values in Pinewood Derby competition are parent/ scout participation, good sportsmanship, and learning how to follow rules. Everyone is  responsible for recognizing and encouraging these qualities in addition to traditional racing awards.

2. Every participating Scout will receive a Pinewood Derby patch.  

3. Trophies will be awarded to the first, second and third-place finishers in each Division.  

4. Ribbons will be presented for additional categories. 

Day of the Event

1. Have extra axles and wheels on hand. You never know when your car may be the one dropped by your scout as they show off their handiwork.

2. Have a derby tool kit handy. It should include superglue, sandpaper, a drill, extra screws for your weights, extra weights, a small screwdriver. You may not use it, but it will make you the most popular person at the event.

3. Transport your car in a shoebox. Dropped cars are unfortunately a too common experience.

4. Add LOTS of graphite right before check in.

5. Explain to your son that running the car along the floor prior to the race will cause it to lose!

Sportsmanship

The Pinewood Derby is a parent-Scout project. Please feel free to give guidance and minimal assistance to your Scout as you build your Pinewood Derby car. This is a chance for your scout to be part of a team (scout and you), and to enjoy the spirit of friendly competition with other Scouts. Also for your Cub Scout to enjoy the satisfaction of building their own car from the kit provided. 

A special note to all parents and scouts: Together, please read the following article on sportsmanship... 

While everyone will be trying to win, it's always a good idea to start out by remembering the Cub Scout Motto, "Do Your Best," and some of the basic ideas behind good sportsmanship.  Two things the Pinewood Derby requires each participant to learn are 

1) The craft skills necessary to build a car.

 2) The rules that must be followed. Even more important, though, is how we act and behave while participating in the Pinewood Derby or any other group activity. This is called sportsmanship.  

1st Sportsmanship is that everyone's skills are  a little different. You may be good at something like singing or drawing, but not as good at something else like basketball or computers. Parents have different skill levels, too. This doesn't mean that you are a good person one time and not good another time. You can always be a good person, whether or not you have good car-building skills. Remember, you and your friends are individuals first and racers second. This idea is often called having respect for others. 

 2nd Follow the  rules. Without rules, there would be  no Pinewood Derby. You will never know if you are really good at doing something unless you follow the rules. This is often called being honest. 

3rd Good sportsmanship is that there are winners and losers in every competition. You accept this when you choose to compete. There may be times when you win and feel happy, and times when you lose and feel unhappy. Being a winner is easy, and losing is sometimes hard. If you win, you must not brag or gloat. If you lose, you must not feel jealous or bitter. 

To be a good sportsman, you must be able to say "I did my best" and be satisfied with the results. You must also be able to appreciate and feel happy for someone else when they run a good race or build a neat car.